Acting Stuff
Okay, maybe I am taking crazy pills, because I almost over-committed to a play that I didn't have time for and didn't really feel like I'd enjoy doing.
Remember that crazy lady who auditioned me in the Starbuck's back in December? Well, she calls me last weekend (2/8) to tell me that the actor for essentially the lead in her production dropped out because after a weekend of rehearsals decided he couldn't "affect an Irish accent" (her words, and although it is technically correct, to me it seems a symptom of her overall craziness, especially since she used it like 5 more times during our conversation) so she wanted to know if I could take over the role.
They open March 12th, and there would only have been 9 rehearsals for me to get up to speed while getting off book, since the weekend before opening I will be in Alabama (see below). I remind her of this conflict, and she says she'll give me a call back.
Well, Monday afternoon she calls me again and says that, though she found an actor to do the lead role who has conflicts with the rehearsal schedule, she wants to offer me another part, this time of an Englishman. Seems that there are a few points in the play where this character climbs a ladder, and the actor she'd hired for it had fallen off a roof several years ago, and now has a thing about ladders, so had to quit.
Although it would have been cool to be in a more-than-stipend-paying theatre gig, I would have been in rehearsals 5 nights a week while trying to get off book. Also, it will be performed in the round, while the plays where written for the traditional stage. In the round is hard enough when the play is specifically written for it. Also, her craziness was making the Alice alarm go off in my head a bit (not four-alarm levels, but it was there). So even though I took the part, I sent her an email saying I had forgotten about a conflict for one of the performance dates (technically true, though I could have rescheduled it if absolutely necessary) and dropped out.
I felt bad only for dropping after accepting the role. I shouldn't have accepted it in the first place. It is hard though to say no to an acting job, since you spend a great deal of your time being rejected. But this is definitely and example of saying yes too quickly.
On to happier news. As some of you may remember, our troupe won the Virginia one-act play festival with "The Open Meeting," and we are taking it to the regional competition (Southeast Theatre Conference) in Alabama the first weekend in March. Well, I've just been told that one of our rehearsals will be an open rehearsal that anyone can come see for free. If you didn't get the chance last June or August, now is your opportunity to see a really funny play for free.
It is at the auditorium of the Dr. A.J. Ferlazzo Building, 15941 Donald Curtis Drive, Woodbridge VA 22193. If the GPS/Mapquest doesn't do it for ya, let me know. The curtain is scheduled to go up at 8PM, and they'll start seating around 7:30. There will be a bucket for donations towards our expenses of going to Alabama, but don't feel you have to give anything to come see us.
EDIT: Some observant, and not-at-all-sarcastic person pointed out that I neglected to provide the actual date of the open rehearsal. It is Wednesday, Feb. 25. Sorry about any confusion.
Remember that crazy lady who auditioned me in the Starbuck's back in December? Well, she calls me last weekend (2/8) to tell me that the actor for essentially the lead in her production dropped out because after a weekend of rehearsals decided he couldn't "affect an Irish accent" (her words, and although it is technically correct, to me it seems a symptom of her overall craziness, especially since she used it like 5 more times during our conversation) so she wanted to know if I could take over the role.
They open March 12th, and there would only have been 9 rehearsals for me to get up to speed while getting off book, since the weekend before opening I will be in Alabama (see below). I remind her of this conflict, and she says she'll give me a call back.
Well, Monday afternoon she calls me again and says that, though she found an actor to do the lead role who has conflicts with the rehearsal schedule, she wants to offer me another part, this time of an Englishman. Seems that there are a few points in the play where this character climbs a ladder, and the actor she'd hired for it had fallen off a roof several years ago, and now has a thing about ladders, so had to quit.
Although it would have been cool to be in a more-than-stipend-paying theatre gig, I would have been in rehearsals 5 nights a week while trying to get off book. Also, it will be performed in the round, while the plays where written for the traditional stage. In the round is hard enough when the play is specifically written for it. Also, her craziness was making the Alice alarm go off in my head a bit (not four-alarm levels, but it was there). So even though I took the part, I sent her an email saying I had forgotten about a conflict for one of the performance dates (technically true, though I could have rescheduled it if absolutely necessary) and dropped out.
I felt bad only for dropping after accepting the role. I shouldn't have accepted it in the first place. It is hard though to say no to an acting job, since you spend a great deal of your time being rejected. But this is definitely and example of saying yes too quickly.
On to happier news. As some of you may remember, our troupe won the Virginia one-act play festival with "The Open Meeting," and we are taking it to the regional competition (Southeast Theatre Conference) in Alabama the first weekend in March. Well, I've just been told that one of our rehearsals will be an open rehearsal that anyone can come see for free. If you didn't get the chance last June or August, now is your opportunity to see a really funny play for free.
It is at the auditorium of the Dr. A.J. Ferlazzo Building, 15941 Donald Curtis Drive, Woodbridge VA 22193. If the GPS/Mapquest doesn't do it for ya, let me know. The curtain is scheduled to go up at 8PM, and they'll start seating around 7:30. There will be a bucket for donations towards our expenses of going to Alabama, but don't feel you have to give anything to come see us.
EDIT: Some observant, and not-at-all-sarcastic person pointed out that I neglected to provide the actual date of the open rehearsal. It is Wednesday, Feb. 25. Sorry about any confusion.